Biden Announces Path to Citizenship to Spouses of U.S. Citizens
This afternoon President Joe Biden announced that he will implement a new legal policy that will offer a path to legalization for certain undocumented aliens. The new law will apply to spouses of U.S. Citizens who entered the U.S. unlawfully or without inspection. Under current U.S. immigration law it is very difficult for anyone, including spouses of U.S. citizens, to gain lawful immigration status if they entered the U.S. illegally.
Who will benefit from the new law?
While the details of the new U.S. immigration law have not yet been released, the White House press release states that the new law will apply to undocumented immigrants who meet the following basic requirements:
Must be the lawful spouse of a U.S. citizen
Must have been physically present in the United States for 10 years as of June 17, 2024
Children of the eligible undocumented applicant who are under the age of 21 will also be eligible
*Other pre-existing laws related to admissibility will still apply and include exclusion of those with certain criminal convictions.
Contact Immigration Attorney Philip C. Curtis Today!
If you meet these basic requirements and would like to learn more information about how to apply for this new immigration benefit please contact attorney Philip C. Curtis today.
How the New Immigration Policy Works
The new immigration policy announced today by President Joe Biden does not changed existing law. However, because the existing processes for undocumented immigrants who were married to U.S. citizens required the applicant to depart the U.S. it was a de facto bar to legalization. This is because certain other laws, including the 3/10 year bars, would become effective and apply to the applicant upon their attempt to return to the U.S. after applying for an immigrant visa abroad.
The new policy will allow eligible parties to remain the the U.S. while they apply for legalized status thereby avoiding the legal catch 22 under the existing system. Qualified applicants will be allowed to live and work in the U.S. while their applications are pending and will be immune from deportation.
Please check back soon for more information and details about this exciting new development.